OU To Finish Regular Season at Penn Relays

April 24, 2018 | Track and Field

By: Athletics Communications

NORMAN — The University of Oklahoma track and field team will finish its outdoor regular season in Philadelphia, Pa. this weekend at the 124th running of the Penn Relays.

Held at Franklin Field on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania, the historic three-day meet features some of the top collegiate, national and world talent.

OU head coach Jim VanHootegem looks forward to the team's opportunity, “Penn Relays is the oldest and largest track meet in the United States. Franklin Field is hollowed ground in our sport. It's wonderful to go somewhere where there's so much attention put on our sport and so much fan support for our sport. Competitively, the full name of the meet is the Penn Relays Carnival. In that carnival-like atmosphere, there can be a lot of distractions. It doesn't make it easy to compete there."

VanHootegem added, "We go there because it's not easy to compete. We're looking forward to our team handling the conditions and doing what it takes to perform on the track. It's a rite of spring, the last weekend of April, to attend the Penn Relays and we're excited to be a part of it.”

The historic meet is scheduled to begin Thursday at 8 a.m. CT with the collegiate women's discus throw. Thursday's events will run through 10:05 p.m. CT with the last event being the men's collegiate 10,000 meters.

The Sooners will begin competition on Friday with the collegiate men's discus throw, scheduled to start at 8 a.m. with events to follow until 5:35 p.m. Saturday's events begin at 8 a.m. CT with the men's triple jump. The meet will conclude with the men's 4x400-meter "Championship of America" relay at 5 p.m.

The Sooners will have 38 student-athletes competing in 30-plus events at this year's running of the Penn Relays.

OU returns to action after claiming both team titles and 21 event titles at their annual outdoor home meet, the John Jacobs Invitational in Norman. Freshman Vernon Turner recorded the top high jump of the outdoor season at the meet, clearing 7-5.25 (2.27 meters). The mark also broke the meet record and indoor facility record, due to the high jump competition moving indoors because of inclement weather. Other highlights included senior Jess Woodard continuing her dominant senior campaign with another event title in the women's shot put, launching her best throw a meet-record 57-3.5 (17.46 meters).

Live results from the Penn Relays will be available through the meet's website PennRelaysOnline.com. USATF.TV will have a subscription-based live stream of the meet. NBCSN will carry live coverage on Friday from 4-5 p.m. CT and Saturday from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. CT.

PENN RELAYS INFORMATION
Thursday, Apr. 26-Saturday, Apr. 28
Live Results: PennRelaysOnline.com
Venue: Franklin Field; Philadelphia, Pa.

UP NEXT
The Sooners begin postseason competition at the Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championship, held May 11-13 at the Clyde Hart Track & Field Stadium on the campus of Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Competition will begin at 11:00 a.m. CT on Friday, May 11th.

CONNECT WITH THE SOONERS
For updates and more information on Oklahoma track and field, follow the Sooners on Twitter and Instagram (@OU_Track) and like Oklahoma Sooners Track & Field and Cross Country on Facebook.

Penn Relays Schedule
Thursday, Apr. 25
Time (ET)	Event - Sooners
9 a.m.	Collegiate Women's Discus Throw - Lauren Jones
10 a.m.	Collegiate Women's Pole Vault - Abby Bilsbury
	Collegiate Women's 400-Meter Hurdles Championship Section - Mia Mukes, Medinah Spencer
11:30 a.m.	Collegiate Women's Shot Put Championship Section - Meia Gordon, Jess Woodard
12:45 p.m.	Collegiate Women's Shot Put - Lauren Jones
1:15 p.m.	Collegiate Women's Hammer Throw Championship Section - Ashley Bryant
	Collegiate Women's 4x100-Meter Relay (Heats) - Camri Austin, Ja'Leesa Giles, Leya Buchanan, Amanda Van Buren, Medinah Spencer
2:30 p.m.	Collegiate Women's Hammer Throw - Camille Burge
4 p.m.	Collegiate Women's Long Jump - Essence Thomas
	Collegiate Women's Pole Vault Championship Section - Meagan Gray, Sydney King
6:25 p.m.	Collegiate Women's 4x400-Meter Relay (Heats) - Mia Mukes, Evette Blanks, Medinah Spencer, Alexis Barnes, Ja'Leesa Giles
6:45 p.m.	Collegiate Women's Javelin Championship Section - Gabby Kearney
7:40 p.m.	Collegiate Men's 3,000-Meter Steeplechase - Andrew Doherty, Zach Gentry
Friday, Apr. 27
9 a.m.	Collegiate Men's Discus Throw - Brad Daboub
	Collegiate Men's 400-Meter Hurdles Championship Section - Isaiah Levingston
10 a.m.	Collegiate Men's High Jump - Carl Williams
	Collegiate Men's Pole Vault (Section A) - Steven Jazdyk, Lucas Kelley
	Collegiate Women's Triple Jump Championship Section - Essence Thomas
11:30 a.m.	Collegiate Women's Discus Championship Section - Meia Gordon, Jess Woodard
Noon	Collegiate Men's Shot Put Championship Section - Cooper Campbell, Brad Daboub
12:35 p.m.	Collegiate Men's 4x100-Meter Relay (Heats) - Bennie Wesley, Joseph Sheffield, Jackson Webb, Xavier Brown
1 p.m.	Collegiate Women's 4x100-Meter Relay "Championship of America" - Camri Austin, Ja'Leesa Giles, Leya Buchanan, Amanda Van Buren, Medinah Spencer
1:40 p.m.	Collegiate Men's 4x200-Meter Relay (Heats) - Bennie Wesley, Joseph Sheffield, Jackson Webb, Xavier Brown, Greg Vann, Papay Glaywulu
2 p.m.	Collegiate Women's 4x200-Meter Relay (Heats) - Mia Mukes, Medinah Spencer, Ja'Leesa Giles, Amanda Van Buren, Alexis Barnes, Leya Buchanan, Evette Blanks
	Collegiate Men's Long Jump Championship Section - Thomas Cheval
3:30 p.m.	Collegiate Men's Long Jump - Greg Vann
	Collegiate Men's 100-Meter Dash (Heats) - Xavier Brown, Joseph Sheffield, Jackson Webb, Bennie Wesley
3:40 p.m.	Collegiate Women's 100-Meter Dash - Leya Buchanan
3:45 p.m.	Collegiate Men's 110-Meter Hurdles (Heats) - Bryce Douglas
4 p.m.	Collegiate Women's 100-Meter Hurdles (Heats) - Camri Austin
Saturday, Apr. 28
9 a.m.	Collegiate Men's Triple Jump - Garry Williams
	Collegiate Men's Javelin Throw - Josh Haus
10 a.m.	Collegiate Women's High Jump Championship Section - Falyn Reaugh
1:30 p.m.	Collegiate Men's High Jump Championship Section - Vernon Turner
1:40 p.m.	Collegiate Men's 4x100-Meter Relay "Championship of America" - Bennie Wesley, Joseph Sheffield, Jackson Webb, Xavier Brown
2 p.m.	Collegiate Men's Triple Jump Championship Section - Papay Glaywulu
2:25 p.m.	Collegiate Women's 4x200-Meter Relay "Championship of America" - Mia Mukes, Medinah Spencer, Ja'Leesa Giles, Amanda Van Buren, Alexis Barnes, Leya Buchanan, Evette Blanks
2:45 p.m.	Collegiate Men's 4x200-Meter Relay "Championship of America" - Bennie Wesley, Joseph Sheffield, Jackson Webb, Xavier Brown, Greg Vann, Thomas Cheval
3:15 p.m.	Collegiate Women's 100-Meter Hurdles Championship Section - Camri Austin
3:20 p.m.	Collegiate Men's 110-Meter Hurdles Championship Section - Bryce Douglas
3:35 p.m.	Collegiate Women's 100-Meter Dash Championship Section - Leya Buchanan
3:50 p.m.	Collegiate Men's 100-Meter Dash Championship Section - Xavier Brown, Joseph Sheffield, Jackson Webb, Bennie Wesley
5:50 p.m.	Collegiate Women's 4x400-Meter Relay "Championship of America" - Mia Mukes, Evette Blanks, Medinah Spencer, Alexis Barnes